OTTAWA, Sept. 20, 2011 /CNW/ - Accreditation Canada's 2011 Canadian Health Accreditation Report explores the role governance has in relation to quality and patient safety in Canadian health services organizations.

Highlights from the report - Quality Starts at the Top: The Pivotal Role of the Governing Body - include:

• Health organizations that excel in governance practice show significantly better performance in patient safety, further emphasizing the pivotal role boards play in enabling quality and safety.
• Health organizations from all sectors and regions of the country, participating in Accreditation Canada's accreditation program, show a high level of compliance with the Governance Standards.
• The greatest area for improvement is the need for governing bodies to more regularly evaluate their own performance.

"Quality and safety for patients and staff within a health organization hinge on a variety of factors, such as effective education and strong leadership, to name a few," says Wendy Nicklin, President and CEO of Accreditation Canada. "One of the most important factors is governance and how the board contributes to strengthening quality and safety. We delve into this and more in this year's Canadian Health Accreditation Report."

Accreditation Canada (www.accreditation.ca) is a not-for-profit organization that provides health organizations in Canada and around the world with a comprehensive accreditation program. The program uses evidence-informed standards and a rigorous peer review process to improve quality and patient safety. Accredited by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua), Accreditation Canada has been assisting organizations in improving the quality of health care for more than 50 years.

For further information:
Liane Craig
Director, Strategic Communications
Accreditation Canada
1-800-814-7769 ext. 301
communications@accreditation.ca